Coles now the new head boy

Dane Coles is such a joyous, instinctive type of rugby player that sometimes the ramifications of what’s going on around him can pass him by.

The world’s best hooker is back doing what he loves for the All Blacks, after a challenging first part of the year battling ongoing head issues.

He looks to be climbing steadily back into form too, nailing, for the most part, his lineouts, getting stuck into his core roles and threatening a return to that ebullient roundthe-park game that has rewritten the parameters of the modern hooker.

The smile is well and truly back on the dial of the 30-yearold who will play just his third test of the year on Saturday night at QBE Stadium against the Springboks.

He was asked this week, after confirmation he will have not one, but two new-era props (Nepo Laulala and Kane Hames) alongside him for Saturday night’s Rugby Championship and Freedom Cup encounter, whether he was comfortable as the senior man in the front row.

‘‘I don’t have much choice, do I,’’ said the 51-test No 2 with typical matter-of-fact clarity. ‘‘I’ve got to take a bit of leadership there . . . probably me and Crocky (replacement loosehead Wyatt Crockett) are the senior guys now. It’s exciting.

‘‘We’ve lost some pretty experienced front-rowers but Kane has been here before.

‘‘It’s about helping those boys out, making sure they’ve got all the plays, making sure we do the work during the week.

‘‘I’ve been really impressed with Kane. He’s got a good work ethic, his feet firmly grounded, and I’m pretty sure he’s keen to get into it on Saturday. It makes mine and Crocky’s job a lot easier when guys are willing to learn and get better every day.’’